= wild goose chase, n.

figurative. An erratic course taken or led by one person (or thing) and followed (or that may be followed) by another (or taken by a person in…

a task or activity that has no hope of success; a fruitless undertaking.

A state of affairs, a situation, a set of circumstances. Frequently with modifying adjective, as bad, good, etc. (see also to make the best of a ba…

a haul of a fishing net which catches nothing; figurative a fruitless effort.

a quest which is pointless because its object is illusory.

Endless, laborious, and ineffective labour like that of Sisyphus (see Sisyphean, adj.), esp. as a characteristic of industrial conditions; (also)…

An alley closed at one end (see blind, adj. 11); a cul-de-sac; also figurative, a course of action that fails to effect its purpose or from which…

figurative and in figurative contexts. Something that appears valuable or desirable but is actually worthless. Also: An ill-conceived, misguided…

a thankless task; a useless, foolish, or unprofitable activity.

a thankless or fruitless task that involves getting wet through.

figurative. Esp. a policy, course of action, etc., that leads nowhere; a ‘blind alley’.

A trivial, useless, or unnecessary undertaking; wasteful expenditure.